


please stay right there

by sleeplessthrills



Series: coming home [3]
Category: GOT7, Miss A
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-11
Updated: 2020-10-11
Packaged: 2021-02-28 22:28:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,450
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23104735
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sleeplessthrills/pseuds/sleeplessthrills
Summary: Park Jinyoung seals the deal.
Relationships: Bae Suji | Suzy/Park Jinyoung (GOT7)
Series: coming home [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1608538
Comments: 1
Kudos: 4





	1. Chapter 1

They were lying in bed with their bare limbs tangled and a random HGTV show playing on television. It was a rare Saturday morning where Jinyoung did not have to do any work and Suzy’s calendar was completely void of meetings, both of which are truly rare occasions in their busy lives. His hand was drawing lazy circles on her shoulders while her head was lying on his chest, eyes glued to whatever home renovations were happening on the screen when his phone vibrated on the nightstand.

“Can you check? John said he’ll send something for me to look at,” he asked. The nightstand was on the other side of the bed and he was way too comfortable where he was.

Suzy got up and returned to him within seconds, holding the phone at an angle to unlock the phone with her face. He asked if he could add her to the Face ID on his phone a month after they started dating - not because she asked to be added or anything. He just wanted to show her that he was open with her and that he’s all in. At first, Suzy didn’t really understand the need for it - after all, she trusts him completely and knows that the feeling is mutual but she appreciates the gesture. Besides, even though he similarly has been added to her phone’s Face ID, they never really look at one another’s phone aside from occasions like now. 

“It’s Jackson. He’s asking if you’re gonna be in town next weekend,” she said.

“Tell him that I’ll be in town,” he instructed and Suzy typed away before hitting send.

“Did you tell him about us?” she asked after she placed the phone back on the nightstand. “Not yet,” he answered.

Suzy knows that Jinyoung is not a big sharer. He mostly keeps to himself and his tight-knit circle of people. But unlike him, Suzy has told practically everyone that she knows that she and Jinyoung are now back together. She told her parents, who were very very happy since they probably love him more than they love her back then (and probably now too). She told her friends in LA and New York. She even told the guy that cuts her hair - even though he didn’t understand the significance of her and Jinyoung’s relationship, he was excited anyway, especially after she showed Jinyoung’s photos. She couldn’t help herself. She’s just so happy to be back together.

“I feel like I should do it in person and see his reaction,” he continued with a chuckle. “Did you tell Jaebum not to tell him too?” she asked, getting excited at the prospect of meeting the infamous Jackson in person for the first time.

He nodded, “He said that he needs to be there when I tell him.”

“Oooh I’m excited,” she smiled giddily, getting up to grab the remote at his feet to change the channel. She channel-surfed while Jinyoung’s hand is glued to her waist. “Can we just nap?” he asked after a while, his fingers traveling up and down her lower back. “We just woke up thirty minutes ago,” she continued to change the channel, ignoring his request. “Yeah, but I didn’t get much sleep last night,” he continued. “And whose fault was that?” she retorted quickly. He poked her waist, making her giggle, “It takes two to tango.” He continued to tickle her until she held her hand up, a sign of giving up, and said, “Fine. Let me just put on B99 and then we can nap.” He nodded approvingly and settled back into bed before she joined him.

Hours later, when hunger got the best of them, they strolled along Domino Park to enjoy the view of the city before settling down on one of the empty benches, huddled in their puffy coats and their matzo ball soups. Suzy was perpetually cold and was practically snuggled inside of his coat when he felt something icy on his neck. “Ouch…” he recoiled, realizing that it was Suzy’s nose. He looked down and saw her giggling, inching forward to do it again. “It’s freezing,” he leaned back to avoid it before taking his free hand to cover her nose. He could feel her warm breath on his hand for a few moments before leaned back slightly and nuzzled his shoulder, no doubt searching for more warmth.

“Babe… don’t be mad, okay,” her voice muffled, “Did you put on deodorant?”

He leaned back so that he’s face to face with her, “I thought we were just gonna get food and go back.”

“That doesn’t answer my question, Your Honor.”

He pulled her closer, squishing her to his side as she giggled, “Lucky for me, there’s no return policy. So I’m yours regardless of whether I wear deodorant or not,” he said.

“I mean, it’s gonna take a liiiittle more than not deodorizing to make me want to return you,” she replied.

He rolled his eyes and was looking away when she leaned over to plant an icy kiss on his jaw. “Seriously, you are almost frozen. Let’s go home,” he rubbed his jaw and stood up, pulling a laughing Suzy along who shortly began to unabashedly sing Let It Go.

***

“Jinyoung-ah!” Jackson’s raspy, sing-songy voice cut through the crowded bar, and Jinyoung easily found his way to their booth. He was just wondering if Suzy was already there when his question was answered by the sight of her, reaching for the giant plate of nachos on the center of the table. This would be the first time that Jackson and Suzy meet but you’d never guess by how comfortable they already looked sitting next to each other in the circular booth. “Sorry, I’m late,” he apologized, sliding comfortably next to her. She nodded, “I ordered your usual,” and he smiled gratefully before moving his folded coat to the other side of the seat, placing it underneath her bag, so that he can occupy the space right next to her. It’s been a few months since they officially got back together and yet it feels like they’ve been together for years. These small routines that they’ve developed felt normal to him but it didn’t go unnoticed by a certain someone who is now staring at them with his mouth agape.

“Waaaaaahhh…”

Jinyoung and Suzy turned to the source of the sound.

“I cannot believe you Park Jinyoung. How could you not TELL ME,” Jackson continued dramatically, leaning back on the chair before bouncing back to lean over the table, “Yah… I watched you pined for her for YEARS and I even helped you get cookies for her, and you didn’t TELL ME? Am I even your friend?”

Jinyoung chuckled and reached over to place his hand on Jackson’s arm, “I’m sorry, Jackson-ah. It’s been so busy.”

“Clearly!” Jackson gave her a mischievous glare, clearly enjoying this.

“Did you tell him?” Jaebum suddenly appeared at the booth.

“You knew?!” Jackson’s shrill voice returned.

Jaebum laughed and scooted into the booth. “Scoot, scoot,” he ordered Jackson to move, “Did you order the wings?” he ignored Jackson’s glare and asked.

“Suzy, would you be my new friend? Since I no longer have any in this city,” Jackson continued his dramatic one-man play, which was promptly ignored by Jaebum and Jinyoung who were used to his theatrics.

A few hours later, the foursome walked out of the bar, ready to part ways - all of them slightly buzzed with booze. Jaebum bid them goodbye first, saying something about catching a show Williamsburg, followed by Suzy whose apartment is in the same area, leaving Jackson and Jinyoung on the sidewalk. They were hailing a cab to head back to his apartment since Jackson insisted on staying with him for old time’s sake.

“You look happy, Jinyoung-ah,” Jackson remarked a few days later before Jackson was due to head to the airport to catch his flight back to Chicago.

Jinyoung couldn’t stop the grin from forming on his lips because he really, really was.

***

“Come oooooon,” Suzy whined as she made her way to the couch. His coffee table was covered in papers and devices. Even though he was comfortably lounging in his Columbia sweatpants and a ratty t-shirt, he did not look as relaxed as his brows furrowed, scrutinizing whatever is written on the papers before him. It was a Saturday and while Suzy had kept herself occupied for most of the morning by going out for brunch with Jieun, she was getting bored of watching TV from his bed.

“It is such a gorgeous day outside, Park Jinyoung,” she made a point walking over to the giant window, “Can you just imagine the wonderful feeling of sunshine and warmth on your pale, vitamin D deficient skin?”

He chuckled, his eyes now glued to his laptop, “I get enough vitamin D. I go on a run, unlike _someone_ who said that they would.”

“We will address your aggression towards my dislike of running later,” she rolled her eyes at his jab. “For now…” she walked over to the couch, “Can you please stop working and go outside?” She pried his hands off of his laptop and pulled him up. He laughed, sitting back down but pulled her closer until her shins hit the couch, “I really need to finish this,” he looked up, chin resting on her stomach. From this angle, she can see the tiredness in his eyes and she ran her hands over his product-less, natural hair. He usually styles his hair up for work, which gives him a very sophisticated, sleek look that never fails to make her heart skip a few beats. But this… this at-home, freshly showered look reminded her a lot of high school Jinyoung, is still her favourite.

“Take a break,” she ran her fingers through his fringe, her voice gentler, “Your Columbia Law brain will be able to make up for the two hours that we’re gonna spend going to the Farmer’s Market.” She could see that she’s winning him over by the second - she just needs to seal the deal, “We can watch that Four Leaf Clover movie you’ve been wanting to watch.”

“ _Cloverfield_ ,” he corrected, smiling, “And you need to watch it with me.”

She nodded, “I’ll watch 50% of it.”

“80%.”

“60%.”

“70% and that’s my final offer.”

She sighed, “Fine. God, you drive a hard bargain.”

He stood up and gave her a quick kiss, grinning, “I would’ve accepted 65%,” before walking away to change.

The afternoon was going swimmingly until they walked past a booth for an animal shelter. Suzy, predictably, kneeled next to the puppies and began to play with them. She was hugging a particularly playful Maltese when she felt Jinyoung kneel next to her. “Isn’t he cute?” she cooed. They continued to play with the puppy for a few more minutes before continuing their stroll through the market.

“I wish I could have a dog,” she sighed wistfully, “Do you think they’ll let me keep him if I say that he’s my support animal?”

He snorted, “Support for what?”

“Emotional distress? Work-related stress?”

He laughed, “That would be illegal.”

“You know, it’s 2020. How can an apartment building still not allow pets?” she turned indignant. “Mine does,” he quipped. “Yeah but your building is ‘hot commodity,’” she air quoted him. 

Jinyoung’s always been a little smug about his studio, which he got only because his former law school buddy was moving out of town and needed him to take over the lease immediately. The apartment is modest - one bedroom, one bath, and a decent-sized living space. The view out of the window was mostly buildings but he gets a sliver of Central Park from his bedroom window, and it’s something that Jinyoung never really appreciated until she pointed it out on the first night they spent together in the apartment.

“You can move into mine.”

“And where will you live?” she shook her head incredulously.

“There.”

It took him a few beats before he realized that she has stopped walking, “What?”

“Can you repeat what you just said?”

“What?”

“No, before that.”

“You can move into my apartment?”

“That one.”

“You can move into my apartment.”

She stayed rooted in her place, so he walked back and pulled her by her shoulder to keep walking. “How… can you say that so casually?” she said a few moments later. Jinyoung, wisely, seems to be able to sense how this conversation might go and steered them to a cafe nearby for some privacy. When he returned to their corner table with two cups of coffee, she wasted no time, “Talk, Park Jinyoung.”

“What do you want me to say?”

“How can you be so cavalier about this?” she struggled to keep the exasperation from her voice.

“I’m not,” and it’s probably true. She knows this. Jinyoung is not the type of person who would make an off-hand comment that he doesn’t mean. But the implication of what he said, of where this might head to is making her nervous.

“Are you this casual with your exes too? Asking them to move in after…” she had to pause to mentally do the math, “...ten months of dating?”

“Of course not. You know that,” he sounded ever so patient and it’s making Suzy more nervous. _Damn him and his lawyer-y calmness,_ she cursed him inwardly. She thought she could see a ghost of a smile on his lips and it’s taking everything in her not to stand up and pace.

“You know what you’re asking for, right?” she leaned on the table, “You know how our _conservative_ Korean families are going to react.”

He nodded, “Yes.”

“My mom will probably fly here and drag me back home and I will be locked inside my house forever,” she leaned back on her chair.

Jinyoung chuckled and placed his folded arms on the chair, “We’ll have to make sure that that doesn’t happen.”

“The only way to do that is for us to be married first, Park Jinyoung,” she said, shaking her head.

“So let’s do it.”

She leaned back on her chair, “Are you proposing to me?”

“Yeah.”

“We haven’t even dated for a year.”

“Technically, it’s been almost four years,” he said with a smirk.

She rolled her eyes, “I don’t think the math works out that way, buddy.”

He uncrossed his arms, keeping both elbows on the table, and reached out to hold her hand. “We have steady jobs. We’ve known each other for years. I don’t want to date anyone else and I’m as sure as I’ve ever been with anyone when it comes to you,” his voice was even and calm as his thumb moved over her hand absentmindedly, “So what are we waiting for?”

She leaned forward, “I agree with you on all of those things but we’re still twenty-six. We’re young. What if one of us gets a promotion and has to move? Or one of us gets a better job offer in Chicago or something?”

“Then we go together,” he said.

“It’s not that simple,” she protested.

“Look. I know we’re young but I don’t think that should stop us from being together either. We spent so many years trying to move on from one another and I don’t want to have to be apart from you again. If one of us gets a job offer in Chicago or has to relocate to Nebraska, then we make the decision together. We can do long-distance for a while until the other can move to that city,” he could see that she’s still not convinced, “My point is… when I told you that this is it, I mean it. We’re it. You’re it for me. And I’m all in.”

She sighed and studied his face. She couldn’t detect a hint of doubt or fear in his eyes, which is not surprising given that this Park Jinyoung - the boy who knew he wanted to be a lawyer since he was in 3rd grade. He knows what he wants.

“Suzy… I love you. You know that. I’m fairly happy with my life now and the only way to improve upon it is if I can see you more,” he began. Their crazy schedules don’t permit a lot of time for them to see each other, especially since they live in different boroughs. While they try their best, it’s often just three or four times a week - short lunches or dinners here and there, before they spend the weekend in either of their apartments. Even then, more often than not, they’re still called away for a work call or other work-related things during the weekend. “I want a life with you - I’ve always known that, even when we were still sophomores in high school,” he squeezed her hand.

“You also wanted a mohawk in high school and that was a colossally bad idea,” she joked in an attempt to smooth out what she’s going to say next.

“I love you too, Jinyoung. I want a life with you too and I have no desire to be with anyone else but you. But I don’t know if I’m ready to get married. If _I’m_ ready,” she emphasized her words carefully, wanting to make it clear that it has nothing to do with him. She knows that marriage for them is an eventuality - it never occurred to her that they wouldn’t. But at twenty-six, she wants to focus on her career and deep down, she’s just not sure that _she’ll_ be a good wife for him. All the domesticity that comes with the territory feels overwhelming for her and while she knows that she’ll eventually figure it all out, she doesn’t have it figured it out _now._ “I’m secure in us, but I just don’t think I’m ready for that yet. You understand, right?” now it was her turn to squeeze his hand, hoping that he won’t misunderstand.

He smiled and leaned over to plant a kiss on her lips. “I do,” and she could hear the certainty in his voice. So she kissed him back, placing her hand on the back of his neck to keep him close, “I love you. So much.”

He smiled his gorgeous, crinkly-eyed smile, “I love you too. So much. And I’m serious. Whenever you’re ready. Whenever you want. Move-in with me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've wondered if it would be out of character for Jinyoung to be so nonchalant about proposing to her, but I think it would. In this universe, I see him as someone incredibly self-assured - someone who always knew what he wants. So I like the idea of him being sure of them, sure enough for both of them.


	2. Chapter 2

Somehow it became a thing between them where every other day or so, Jinyoung would just ask her to move in with him - when they walked past each other in front of the bar’s bathroom; when she handed him a can of cold beer; when she was walking towards the elevator on his office floor after dropping off a bag of salted egg potato chips (to be accurate, he shouted the question as she entered the elevator); when dancing at the wedding of a mutual friend; when walking towards the subway after dinner; when she was dry heaving after their morning run (while he was calmly smiling and running backward); when talking on the phone before they went to bed… They both knew what ‘moving in’ meant and if there was any doubt, a velvet box appeared in Jinyoung’s sock drawer about two months after their stroll at the Farmer’s Market. Suzy was tempted to open it but chose to leave it alone.

“Move in with me?” Jinyoung asked, eyes closed. He was standing in the corner of his firm’s library in Boston. They were in the middle of a tough case and a few of them had to stay back to prepare for tomorrow’s hearing. He was exhausted beyond belief - he’d been in Boston for two weeks now, tasked to help the team here and he’s spent the entirety of the two weeks mostly holed up in the office.

“After you finish your trial in Boston,” she laughed.

It had been six months since he bought the ring and purposely left it in his sock drawer, knowing full well that Suzy has probably seen it since she borrowed his socks every time she stays over. He caught her staring at the open drawer just a little too long a few weeks ago when she was helping him pack for this trip. He wondered if she'd say anything but since she didn’t, he decided to just let it be.

He’s talked about this with Jaebum and Jackson who both think that he’s crazy for proposing so nonchalantly back then at the Farmer’s Market. But he couldn’t help himself. He knew, from the moment they got back together, that he wants to marry her - that she’s his end game. He probably would’ve bought the ring the next day if he had the money to buy the kind of ring that she deserved. But he didn’t want to be hasty and chose to just enjoy their relationship, and with each passing day, he became more and more sure that he wants a life with her. So when she brought up wanting to adopt a dog and the apartment, he just casually mentioned moving in. He knew that they wouldn’t actually be able to do that - their very conservative Korean parents would have them burnt at the stake if they ever did. So he knew full well what he was asking for when he asked her to move in with him. And when she didn’t immediately say yes, he had to admit that it hurt a little. It meant that he was more ready for them than she was, but he also knew where she was coming from and he couldn’t blame her. Marriage is a serious business and while Jinyoung couldn't care less about the status and the legality of it, if that’s how he’ll get to spend the rest of his life with Suzy, then he’ll do it.

“Can you please promise me that you’ll at least go on a walk in one of the many many beautiful parks in Boston while you’re there? I can’t have you come back to New York looking pasty pale since you haven’t seen the sun in weeks,” her voice sounded like she was already lying in bed, undoubtedly buried under her thick fluffy blanket since her room is freezing cold.

“I can try to go once,” he replied, looking towards the center of the library where his colleagues are congregating, “This case is really tough. There’s just so much to do.”

“Two more weeks,” she said, “Two more excruciating weeks.”

He sighed. “Move in with me?” he asked, knowing that he’ll need to hang up soon and get back to work. She laughed, “You already asked today. Talk to you tomorrow. Love you,” she bid him goodbye.

The week didn’t get any better, especially when he found out that he couldn’t go back to New York for the weekend as he had intended. He tried to mask his disappointment when he talked to Suzy a few hours ago, telling her about the canceled weekend trip, so when he got back to his hotel room, he passed out cold. As he walked into the office, he was just thinking of other career paths he could have chosen instead of law that would not require him to work on a Saturday morning when he heard a burst of very familiar laughter.

“Suzy?” he couldn’t believe his eyes. She was leaning against the front desk, chatting and laughing with his colleagues. She beamed when she saw him and immediately ran over to give him a hug. “What are you doing here?” he asked after giving her a quick kiss. “I’m here to visit someone,” she answered as they walked towards the front desk where his colleagues were smiling brighter than they have in the past week, which might have to do with the two boxes of Magnolia’s on the desk and what looked like a 24-pack of La Croix. “Who could that be?” he indulged. “My boyfriend, who I haven’t seen in three weeks,” she put on a show to sigh as dramatically as possible. “Yikes. Sounds like a bad guy,” he shook his head, peeking into the box of Magnolia’s. “Eeeh.. he’s alright,” she shrugged before breaking into a grin.

“Alright, you two need to stop being cute,” one of his colleagues said, “The company should’ve sent her here instead of you,” she continued before reaching into the box and grabbing a chocolate cupcake. “I’ll take this to the command center,” a Junior Associate said as he picked up the La Croix, “Thank you for all this. It was nice meeting you.” After a few more rounds of goodbyes and nice to meet yous and a promise for a nail salon date, Suzy and Jinyoung were finally alone at the front desk of the quiet office. 

“You are… the absolute best,” he sighed as he watched her take a bite out of his chocolate banana pudding.

“Are you talking to the pudding or me?”

“The pudding, obviously,” he grinned.

They spend a few more minutes making plans for the rest of the weekend before he walked her to the lobby. As they waited for her Uber to arrive, he pulled her closer and gave her one of those squeezy hugs, “Move in with me?”

“Soon.”

He took a step back, not sure if he heard correctly, “What did you say?”

“I said soon,” she smiled.

It took a few more beats before Jinyoung kissed her, only letting her go when he saw her Uber arrive, and said, “We’ll talk about this later.”

Later that night, they found themselves eating take out in his bed, legs intertwined, and the Kardashians on TV. Their grand dinner plan was derailed by… well… the sight of Suzy reading a book on his bed. The bed that never seemed more than a mattress suddenly looked incredibly appealing and Jinyoung dove right in. A few hours later, they called for takeaway and was now trying their best to not spill General Tso’s chicken and lo mein on the sheets.

“Are we ready to talk about it?” he began.

She reached over to his box of lo mein with her chopsticks, “I mean it when I said soon.”

“How soon are we talking here?” he watched her messily eat the noodles and reached over to wipe her lips with his thumb.

She set the food on the nightstand, “I’m really happy with where we are now. I like spending time with you and even though our schedule sucks sometimes, I think we’re doing pretty well. It’s been almost a year since you asked and I know you asking me to move is our thing… but are you… are you still sure?” He can see the fear in her eyes so he put his food away and grabbed her hands in his, “I’m as sure as I was eight months ago at the Farmer’s Market. And I will still be sure for however much longer it’ll take for you to be ready.”

“I feel like I should apologize to you for this,” she bit her lips in worry.

“Don’t. I trust you and I trust us. Take your time,” he squeezed her hand and leaned over to kiss her temple before pulling her to his side, allowing her head to rest on his chest.

***

Knowing Suzy, he knew for certain that she would definitely plan a surprise party for his birthday. Last year, work was insane for both of them - it had only been a year since she moved to New York and she was still doing a lot of extra work to get her and her team’s bearings. He was still grinding his way as a fairly new Junior Associate at his firm, which meant ridiculous hours. So all they did was have dinner together and he was completely okay with that. But he knew that she wasn’t satisfied with it given her penchant for elaborate parties and social events. So when she started acting a little suspicious, like not leaving her phone unattended or making sure that it’s safely hidden in her handbag, he knew that she was planning something. He tried asking for clues but she remained tight-lipped.

On the day of his birthday, he walked into his apartment, fully expecting something to be there for him, and he did his best to be surprised when he opened the door to two dozen or so of his closest friends yelling ‘SURPRISE.’ Suzy had catered dinner from their favorite Italian place in the Lower East Side and he spent the evening walking around the room, talking and laughing with everyone. It was a mix of people from his office, their old high school buddies, and his friends from Law School who’ve stayed close (Jackson even chimed in via FaceTime). It was truly a great evening of incredible friends and incredible food.

But by the time the clock hits 11:30 PM, he plopped himself down on the couch, suddenly feeling exhausted after a whole day of work and an evening of friends. The last of his guests just left a few minutes ago. “Thank you for the surprise party,” he called out to Suzy who was putting empty wine glasses in the kitchen. She sauntered back into the living room in her flowy, Merlot-coloured dress and pulled his arm around her shoulder so she can snuggle to his side. “Did you like the cake?” she asked, her fingers absentmindedly playing with his hand that was splayed on her hips. “I did. I’m surprised you didn’t get the Birthday Cake,” he answered, knowing that Milkbar’s birthday cake is one of their favorite desserts. “That would have been way too predictable,” she said, “Besides, the chocolate caramel pretzel cake looked too good to pass up.” He nodded in agreement.

“Are you tired?” she asked, looking up at him.

He nodded, “A bit.”

“Are you up for a walk?”

He eyed her suspiciously but before he could say anything, she was pulling him up to standing. Within five minutes, they were out the door and were in an Uber. A few minutes later, they arrived at their destination and the surprise on his face was genuine.

“What are we--” he began as he stared into the majestic architecture before him, “The library closes at 7:45 PM.” He knows this by heart because he’d always have to begrudgingly and quickly pack up his stuff when the announcement is made over the speakers that the library is closing. This was his favorite place to study and now that he’s busy with work, he hasn’t had time to visit. “Come on,” she pulled him towards the entrance and he was surprised when the guard let them in. An attendant greeted them not long after they entered the building and they were led to a secluded location in a nook that he’s never been to before.

“The only open bathroom is down the hallway and the morning attendant will be here to let you out at 08:00 AM,” the attendant’s voice came into focus. “The security guard will be here all night, so let him know if you need anything. His name is Earl,” the guy continued. “Enjoy your night,” he said, “And happy birthday.”

Jinyoung smiled and took in his surroundings. From their corner, he could see the entirety of the Main Reading Room. He’s seen this view a thousand times before and yet it never ceased to amaze him.

“What do you think?” Suzy asked.

He turned to face her and kissed her, “This is beyond anything I could ever imagine,” he answered.

She smiled, “Let’s go change into something more comfortable,” she grabbed a duffel bag that he didn’t see bring in. A few minutes later, they return to their nook with their cozy sweatpants and sweaters. As they settle in the admittedly uncomfortable bed, Suzy’s head on his chest and his arms around her, he murmured, “I can’t believe we’re spending the night in the New York Public Library.”

“Well, believe it, pal, because we’re gonna feel it for the next week from sleeping on this floor,” she teased, planting a kiss on his collarbone, before wrapping her arms around his middle, snuggling closer.

He laughed and kissed the top of her head before sighing contentedly. “Move in with me?” he asked.

“Okay.”

He pulled away slightly so he could see her face, “Come again?”

“Okay,” she smiled.


	3. Chapter 3

This would be their second birthday as a couple and the year before, Suzy gave Jinyoung a silk tie and they spent the evening together after a lovely dinner at their favorite restaurant. Work had been insane and while she wanted to plan a party, she simply didn’t have time. So this year, she knew she had to go big. Planning a surprise party for him is relatively easy because he expects it, but the more difficult part is actually surprising him. Jinyoung is a very intuitive man and he notices little things that Suzy probably never would. That’s why she didn’t try too hard to hide the fact that she’s planning a surprise party for his birthday. In fact, she made sure to behave a little suspiciously so that he expects the party to happen. Finding something to actually surprise him was much harder.

She considered a few things to give him for his birthday, like a watch or a new phone. But when her boss’ fiance mentioned the New York Public Library’s VIP perk - that you could spend the night inside the library - she knew that she had found the perfect gift.

Arranging for their friends to come to his apartment before he’s due to arrive home from work was an easy task. Setting up her iPad for Jackson to FaceTime was also easy (he had insisted that the iPad be placed at the kitchen island, so Jinyoung can see him when he walks in). When Jinyoung arrived, she could tell that he wasn’t actually surprised. But she knew that he was happy nonetheless to be surrounded by friends. The evening went swimmingly but by the time the clock struck 10:30 PM, she was grateful that people started leaving. Jinyoung looked tired despite how much smiling and laughing he was doing because at the end of the day, he’s not a big party person and big crowds aren’t his favorite.

That’s why their evening at the New York Public Library was perfect; it was just the two of them amongst the books. Even though the mattress was too thin to be called a mattress and it felt like they slept on the floor, she still woke up happy because she finally said ‘okay.’ She’s known for a month now that she was finally ready, but she figured that his birthday was the perfect opportunity to say yes.

At 08:00 AM, they packed up their things and sauntered out the door, still in their sweatpants and hair looking very much like they had just woken up. It was a Saturday and Jinyoung didn’t have to be at work, so they grabbed coffee at the bodega around the corner and made their way back to his apartment so they could shower and get cleaned up. He FaceTimed with his parents and his noonas while Suzy cleaned up the aftermath of last night’s party. Since it was Saturday and his parents had a day full of church events, they didn’t chat for long and by the time it was 11:30, they were out the door, en route to Sarabeth’s for lunch.

They were arguing about which muffin is the best (Jinyoung always gets the bran muffin while Suzy can’t decide) when the waiter arrived to take their order and she blurted out, “A basket of muffins, grilled cheese, pot pie, and two mimosas please.” Jinyoung looked like he was going to protest but waited until the waiter left their side. “You are not gonna be able to finish all those muffins,” he chided.

She shook her head, “You have so little faith in me and my appetite. I haven’t eaten since last night, Jinyoung. I can eat a whole person right now.”

“You say this now but wait until the food arrives,” he smiled.

And he was not wrong. She kept going until she only had eaten a respectable ¾ of her grilled cheese and most of her tomato soup, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of being right while he happily finished his food.

Afterward, instead of going the faster route back to his apartment, he pulled her towards a fairly busy Central Park.

“How big do you want this wedding to be?”

“Not that big,” she said after pondering for a few moments.

“Do you have a binder somewhere at home with all your dream wedding stuff?” he teased.

“Don’t mock!” she punched him lightly, “And yes I do, but it was mostly everything I saw from the royal wedding. And I don’t think you’d be too thrilled to have to sit through all that.”

He winced, “I mean if that’s what you want…”

She laughed and kissed his cheek, “You’re sweet but no. I moved past that a looooong time ago.” She sneaked her arms around his, “I don’t want a giant, huuuuuge wedding. I just want our family and friends to be there.”

“Really?”

“Why are you so surprised?”

“I don’t know. This is you, we’re talking about. You are the life of the party. You use every excuse you can to throw a party. Remember the Queer Eye Season 2 viewing party?” he reminded her.

“Oooh that was fun. I wonder what other show is coming back soon…” her thoughts begin to drift.

“See what I mean? Suzy… you love these things. You love celebrating things with other people. Are you sure you want our wedding to be simple? Wouldn’t you want a wedding at the Plaza or something?”

She snorted, “One. We definitely can’t afford the Plaza and even if we can, the waiting list is like three years long. And two…” she turned to look at him, “You’re in this wedding too. I want you to have a good time and not feel like you have to entertain 300 people for my sake.”

“300?” he scrunched his eyebrows in shock, “Do we even know that many people?”

She laughed, “Oh my naive, darling husband-to-be. You forget that our parents will want to invite everyone that they know. If we let our parents have their way, there’ll be close to 600 people. 300 people is a modest estimate.”

He shuddered.

“See?” she chuckled at the view of his slightly terrified expression, “I know if we have it your way, we’ll get married at City Hall--”

His face brightened at the mention of that.

“--buuuut… our parents will kill us. And you’re the only boy in the family. Your parents will want to celebrate,” she reasoned.

He considered it for a moment before he turned to her and asked, “Okay, but what about what you want?”

She paused, biting her lips, a sign that she’s unsure. So Jinyoung took her hands and squeezed it in his, bending down so that he could look her in the eyes, “Tell me. Please? We agree to not lie or say what we think will make the other happy. Remember?”

It was one of the things that they agreed upon when they started dating again. It was a lack of honesty out of fear of hurting the other that caused their relationship to fall apart the first time. So they agreed that this time around… they’ll do better. And that means complete, brutal honesty. It wasn’t easy for them to do this, especially since they found themselves falling back into their old ways. Like when Suzy said that she didn’t mind skipping his office’s Christmas party when in reality, she really wanted to go. It was only after Jinyoung asked her earnestly as they sat in his apartment that she admitted that she had picked out a dress and was looking forward to meeting his colleagues (it was already 11:00 PM by the time they had this conversation and it was too late to go to the party) that they finally decided that they need to make this a rule in their relationship. It was this same rule that she invoked when she asked Jinyoung if he thought that she was being too hard on her team and that she should be the one apologizing to her colleague (he clearly thought so and she could see it - though it made her mad, she needed his honesty). 

Now, with his eyes earnestly boring into hers, she knew that she can’t hide. So she took a deep breath and said, “Of course I want a wedding. I want the white dress, the dancing, the toasts, and the celebration with our family and friends. I want it all. Do I want it to be at the Plaza? No, because we’re not the Trumps and all that gold is really not my thing. But I also kind of want it to be… something. You know? Not lavish. But not too low-key either.”

“Then let’s have that. Let’s have… medium-key,” he grinned.

She laughed and inched closer, “Are you sure? You know that means that there’ll be at least 200 people. And you’re the groom so you have to be there the whole time.”

“150?” he bargained and she answered by planting a quick kiss on his lips, “150 sounds just right.”

“How about kids?” he asked as they resumed their walk through the park.

“Two.”

“Me too.”

“But not now,” she quickly added and he nodded, “Yeah. I want to be able to actually spend time with the kid on weekends,” he explained and she readily agreed.

They continued to talk about their future, like where they want to live (despite the fact that he’s been asking her to move in with him for the past year, they decided that they may want a new place together that’s in between their offices) and when would be the right time to adopt a puppy. They were thoroughly enjoying their stroll when the weather began to get darker and it began to drizzle. He pulled her towards a flowery path as he held his palm over her head in a futile attempt to shield her from the rain. They made it back to his apartment building just drenched and slightly delirious from how the afternoon had taken a turn.

“I knew our streak of goodness had to end soon,” she said as she wrung the water from her hair, “Everything was going so perfectly well since last night.” He chuckled, removing his soaked jacket and running his hand through his wet hair. They were about to go inside the lobby when he suddenly paused.

“You know, I haven’t actually asked.”

For a moment she was confused about what he was referring to before shaking her head, amused, “You have. Like maybe a hundred times in the last year.”

Jinyoung’s expression remained serious before he broke out into a slight smile, bending his knee onto a puddle of water.

“What are you doing?” she began to laugh.

“Suzy…” he ignored her, opened a velvet box, and held it in his hand, “You are the smartest and most beautiful woman in the world. You make me the happiest that I’ve ever been and that I’ll ever be, and I love you in a ‘let’s just get married at City Hall but I’ll marry you at the Plaza if that’s what you want’ kind of way. In a ‘I’ll hold you and let you hide behind my sweater sleeves when we watch a scary movie’ kind of way. In a ‘I’ll take you to as many dessert shops as you want’ kind of way. In a ‘I’ll watch as many seasons of  _ Love is Blind _ with you and actually discuss it at our many many viewing parties’ kind of way…”

She was laughing and crying, unable to stop herself, and she could see Jinyoung grinning as he looked at her.

“I love you in a… ‘I want to marry you because I want a life with you’ kind of way. I love you in every and all ways imaginable. So… Bae Suzy, will you marry me?”

She nodded, “Of course,” she reached for his hands to pull him up.

They kissed, arms wrapped around one another. When they pulled apart, he slid a solitaire cut diamond ring on her finger and kissed her again.

“Move in with me?” he whispered cheekily.

She laughed, “Okay.”


End file.
